Dave McElhinny joins Mars Hall of Fame
This is the eighth in a series of articles profiling the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.
MARS — Dave McElhinny still wonders what drove him to play sports.
“Both of my parents (John and Carole) grew up on a farm and weren't involved at all in sports,” he said. “Anyone who grows up like they did knows there's not much time for anything else on a farm. You come home from school and there are chores to do.
“I was an only child and they made sure I had opportunities they didn't have,” said the 1988 Mars Area High School graduate. “They deserve a lot of credit for always taking me to wherever I needed to go. For whatever reason, I gravitated toward sports.”
And several athletic programs at Mars are glad he did.
McElhinny averaged a double-double as a junior and senior on the Planets' boys basketball team. In track and field, he was a standout jumper, once holding the school record in the high jump.
McElhinny was inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame in September.
Baseball was the first sport he picked up as a youth and he went on to letter as a freshman and sophomore pitcher for the Planets. But a growth spurt had led him into playing basketball.
“I loved playing basketball and really got into it,” he said.
Playing for then-varsity head coach Bob Utz, McElhinny saw limited time as a sophomore, but his breakout junior campaign included nearly 17 points per game and helped Mars win its first-ever section title in boys basketball.
“I led the team in scoring, but we were very balanced, had (a total of) five guys who scored in double figures. My senior year, it was me and a couple of other guys doing most of the scoring and I averaged 23 points.
“I could shoot and jump, but wasn't a great ball-handler. I was a center, 6-foot-5, and played with my back to the basket.”
There were few opportunities for organized play outside of the high school season.
“We'd get some guys together and go down to North Park and play some pick-up games,” said McElhinny. “It wasn't like it is today. Now, it's year-round.”
McElhinny left the baseball diamond for the track and field team his junior year.
“A bunch of my friends were on the track team and had been working on me to join for about a year,” he said. “Finally, I tried it and it turned out to be the sport that was probably the best natural fit for me, even though I spent the least amount of time practicing it.”
McElhinny first broke Mars' high jump record with an effort of 6-2 his junior year, then topped that with a 6-4 his senior year.
It was at the WPIAL championship meet his senior year that McElhinny had an encounter that would have a profound affect on his future.
“I was all set to go to Juniata College to play basketball. At the track meet, I met Bruce Frey, the track and field coach at Robert Morris, and he asked if I had interest in going there.
“It was very late (to change a decision on college), but with the scholarship I got, I barely paid any money to go to school.”
McElhinny won the Northeast Conference title in the high jump as a freshman.
“I was still skinny at that point,” he said with a laugh.
McElhinny spent over 20 years in the newspaper business, including 12 as a sports writer. He now owns a golf promotion company and has written a number of children's books.
He was humbled by his selection to Mars' Hall of Fame.
“I was pretty surprised when I got the call,” he said. “There are so many great athletes who played at Mars and I was really excited to go in.”
McElhinny is the father of two sons. Sean is a sophomore at John Carroll and Adam is a sophomore at Mars.
